Psoriasis treatment: Synthetic vitamin D

This prescription medicine has been used in Europe since the 1990s to treat psoriasis. Later, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved it for psoriasis.

Why dermatologists prescribe synthetic vitamin D to treat psoriasis

Synthetic vitamin D can:

Slow rapidly growing skin cells

Flatten thick psoriasis

Remove scale

Treat nail psoriasis

Treat scalp psoriasis

Safety and effectiveness

Synthetic vitamin D is considered safe for most patients, including children.

It clears psoriasis in some patients, including patients who have scalp psoriasis.

Most people notice an improvement after using it for 2 weeks.

If a patient needs stronger medicine, synthetic vitamin D can be safely combined with a strong corticosteroid.

Studies show that using both tends to be more effective than using either medication alone.

Using both synthetic vitamin D and a corticosteroid can also reduce the possible side effects that come with using a strong corticosteroid.

The combination can be used for much longer than a strong corticosteroid alone.

How to use

It is applied to the psoriasis. Most people apply synthetic vitamin D twice a day.

To avoid possible side effects, it’s important to use this medicine exactly as directed. Using it for longer than directed can lead to serious side effects.

Possible side effects

When applying synthetic vitamin D to treat psoriasis, the most common side effects are:

Irritated skin

Burning

Itching

Swelling

Peeling

Dryness

Redness

These side effects tend to go away as patients continue to use the medicine.

Side effects that are more serious include a medical condition called hypercalcemia. This means you have too much calcium in your blood, which can weaken your bones, cause kidney stones, or affect your heart and brain. This risk is low when synthetic vitamin D is used as directed.

What to discuss with your dermatologist

During your next dermatology appointment, be sure to mention if you have any of the following: